Combination collapsible box and display device



E. J. MESSINA July 11, 1961 COMBINATION COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheetl R m m w.

601F430 J! MESS/M4 grmqwx July 11, 1961 E. J. MESSINA 2,991,578

COMBINATION COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed June 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EDW/IRD J? MESS/1V4 8T6 A TTORA/EX United States Patent 1 2,991,578 COMBINATION COLLAPSIBLE BOX AND DISPLAY DEVICE Edward J. Messina, Bogota, N.J., assignor to Fotochrome Color Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 30,1959, Ser. No. 824,099 11 Claims. (Cl. 40-1521) choice print in place and displayed on a front cover for the box, while holding all the additional prints and negatives or other flat articles within the box, and the back side of the box having space for date and description matter.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described having means to permit the device to be set up as an easel to display the print on the cover.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable device of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blank for a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1,

partially folded and with a print mounted on the cover section;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank, in a further stage of folding;

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a box embodying the invention, made from the blank of FIG. 1, with a print on the cover section of the box, and showing the locking tab extended, in dot-dash lines;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the box of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 4, with a plurality of prints or other sheets or cards in the box;

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the device set up I as an easel; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a blank for making a box 11 embodying the invention. The

blank 10 comprises a bottom or rear rectangular section 12 from the sides of which extend narrow rectangular side sections 13 having end edges 13a and being foldable about crease lines 14. Extending from the ends of said section 12 are narrow rectangular sections 15 and 16 having end edges 15a and 16a, respectively, foldable about crease lines "ice 1 and 18 respectively. Sections 13, 15-16 are of equal width and of the full length of the sides of the bottom section 12 from which they extend. Bottom section. 12 is formed with a transverse slot 12a having a straight edge: 12b parallel to crease line 17, and a convexly turnededge 12c extending to the ends of the straight edge. ,1" Extending from section 15 is a flap 20 foldable about crease line 21. Flap 20 has converging inclined'side edges 22 and an outer edge 23 parallel to crease line .21.- Said fiap 20 is formed with a centrally locatedslit 24 parallel to and spaced closer to crease line 21 than to end edge 23 of the flap. Extending from one section 13 is a flap 26 foldable about crease line 27 andhaving converging inclined'side edges 28 and an end edge 29 parallel to said crease' line. The width of flap 26, from crease line 27 to edge 29,.is greater than half the'width of section 12 between'crease lines 14. Flap 26 has aligned slits 26a extending inwardly from the side edges 28, for the purpose hereinafter'appearing. Extending from the other side'section 13 is-a flap 30 foldable about crease line 31 and having converging-side edges 32 and an end edge 33. Flap 30 has: a slit 34 parallel to end edge 33 and terminating short'of side edges 32. v The distance of slits 26a to crease line 27 is the same as the distance of slit 34 to crease line 31, and said distances are each half the distance between crease lines 14. Extending from section 16 is a display frame section 40 of the same outer dimensions as bottom section' 12, and having side edges 41 in alignment with c'rease linm 16a, 14 and 15d. Section 40 is formed with a central cutout or window 42 which may be square in shape, as shown, or of any other desired suitable outline.

Extending from section 40' is a cover section 45having the outer dimensions of sections 12 and'40 and foldable about crease line 46. Section 45 has side edges 47 which are extensions of side edge 41 of section 40, and'it' also has an outer end edge 48 parallel to crease 1ine"46'. Section 45 is provided with means to carry, supportor hold a print 50 or other cardor sheet to be displayed through window or cutout 42 in section 40. To this end, section 45 has, adjacent the covers formed by crease line 46 and side edges 47, a pair .of similar, symmetrically disposed cutouts or slots 53. Each cutout or slot 53 has [a straight edge 54 inclined to crease line 46, and side edge 47, and a convexly curved edge 55 extending to the ends of the straight edge.

Said cover section is also formed adjacent its outer edge 48, with a central U-shaped slit 56 having a slit portion 57. parallel to said edge and slit portions 58 extending from said central portion toward, but terminating short of said end edge. Slit 56 thus forms a tab 59.

The print 50 to .be displayed may be placed on the inside of the cover section 45, with the display surface of the print facing upwardly (FIG. 2). The upper edgeof the print is slipped under tab 59,- and the lower corners of the print are slipped into the cutouts 53 to engage the outer surface of the cover section.

A plurality of additional prints, negatives or other cards or sheets 60 or other articles may be placed on the bottom section 12. Sections 13 and 15 may be folded to upstanding position, at right angles to the bottom section. Flap 20 is first folded down over the prints, negatives or other cards or sheets 60. Flap 30 is then folded down over flap 20, leaving slit 24 exposed, however- Flap 26 is then folded down to overlap the downfolded flap 30, and the portion of said flap 26 beyond slits 26a is passed through slit 34, so that the ends of said portion hook against an edge of said slit 34 to interlock said flaps.

The cover section 45, with the print 50 thereon, is then folded about crease line 46 to overlie display frame section 451isfornie'd -With a slit 70'haying parallel spaced portions-1T1 extendingfrom and; at rightangles to crease line 46, and equally spaced fromjthe center of the crease line; 1 Thei'l'engthofsaid slit portions 71 is equal to the height-Jot? sections 13, v15, 16; Extending from slit portidnsfll are inwardly inclined slit portions 72 connected by? aslitportion 73 parallel to, crease line 47. The outer ends of slit portionsyfl are, connected by a crease line 74 dividing the portion of section 45 inside of the slit into aI-rectangular connector section 76 and a locking tab 77. Theseextend from one end of the display frame section. .-.-:':After..the1 folde d together sections 40, 45 are folded on the. box; connector section 76 folds down to overliethe central portion of section 15. The locking tab I'Lis then folded against the-back of bottom section 12, and the outen end thereofis slipped through slot 12a and against the upper surface of said bottom section. T -...The is compact and may be easily placed in a pocket book,- handbagor in a coat pocket. -L-;i'I.hedevice may, furthermore be set up as an easel. $0..- d'o,-. Marthe-logging tab 77 is slipped out of slot 12a, the cover and display sections are swung away from the box; Mid-.theouterendof the lock tab is inserted into slit loot-flan 20. The-device may be then placed on a .table, a s;shovrnin FIGS. 7 and 8, with sections 15 and ,76 =an d;creaseline-46 m the table. This device is an easel ispl yins h s o cep v thus be seenthat there is provided an appara- ;-vvhich; the several objects of, this invention are achieved and, which is well adapted to'meet the conditions' of practical use. t {Asspossibleembodiments might be made of the above ,inven on, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment-above setforth, it is to be understood that .aihmatterhereinset forth or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpretedas illustrative and not in a im t a s n -Lclaimr I v 11-51;: i ati n, a first s ctio side a den s ion extendin th r r an c nn d th e by f ld l e on .whigh-said side and ,end sections are foldable to posi- .-.tions at right angles to said first section, flaps extending from the side sections and from one of the end sections,

and connected'theretoby fold lines, on whichsaid flaps are foldable inwardly into positions overlying andspaced above. saidfirstseotion, a display frarne'section having a -vgindow, and. extending from the other end section and .co n bte e toby -t ld line con ec and a cover sectioaext nd af om s id. d pl y ram e ti and f thereto; by a fold line connection and formedwith means to enga p r sof lpr n 'pla d onjthe cover seetion tobe displayed through the Window in the display frame section,- upon folding the cover section about its foldlineconnection over the display frame section, and said folded together; cover and display frame sections being foldable together about the fold line connection of -.the disp1ay section to the cover section, over' the inwardly-"folded-flaps.

2; The'combination of claim 1', said cover section being formedwithaconnector section cut therefrom and ex- "fen'ding from the foldline connection of the cover secto the display section, and adapted to overlie apor- ,tionof said one ofsaid end sections, and a locking tab also cut from the cover section and extending from said connector. sec ion. and. on e e v the e y a o line- 3. The combination of claim 2, said first section having a slot to receive an end of said locking tab.

4. The combination of claim 2, the flap extending from said one of said end'sections, being formed with a slit to receive an end of the locking tab.

5. Ihe combination "of claim 3, the flaps extending from said side sections having overlapping portions provided with interengaging interlocking means.

6. The combination of claim 1, the flaps extending from the side sections having overlapping portions formed with interengaging interlocking means.

7. In combination, a first wall, side walls extending up from the first wall and connected thereto by fold lines, and walls extending from the first Wall and connected thereto by fold lines, a flap extending from one end wall and connected thereto by fold lines and disposed in spaced parallel position relative to said first wall, a pair of flaps extending from the side walls and connected thereto by fold lines and overlapping the first flap and each other, said pair of flaps having converging side edges, one of said side flaps having aligned slits extending to the side edges thereof, the other side flaphaving a slit to receive the portion of the first side flap beyond its slits, a display frame wall extending from the othercnd wall and. connected thereto by fold lines, and overlying said overlapping flaps, and formed with a window, and a cover section extending from the display frame section and connected thereto by a fold line, and folded'against the inner side of said display frame section. 8. The combination of claim 7, said cover section being formed with inclined corner slots adjacent the display frame section andwith a slit forming a tab adjacent the outer end of the cover section whereby a print or like sheet or like member may be mounted on the cover secing a locking tab cut from the material thereof, and the flap which'extends from said one of said end Walls having a slit to receive an end of said locking tab.

11. In combination, a collapsible box comprising a bottomwall, upstanding walls extending from the bottom wall and connected thereto about fold lines, a display frame wall extending from one of said upstanding walls and connected thereto about a fold line, and formed with a window, and a cover Wall extending from the outer end ofsaid display frame wall and connected thereto about a fold line, and provided with means to support a sheet like member, and folded under and against said display "frame wall to expose a portion of said member through said window, a locking tab extending from the display frarn e'wall on a fold line connection, and folded against the'underside of the bottom wall, and said bottom wall having means to receive an end of the locking tab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 415,552 Orr Nov. 19, 1889 828,984 Swett Aug. 21, 1906 1,347,269 Greble July 20, 1920 2,453,902 Graham Nov. 16, 1948 2,649,799 Spertus Aug. 25, 1953 2,782,542 Blevens Feb. 26, 1957 

